As part of our broad and balanced curriculum here at Mount Charles School, we believe that a quality Art and Design education is fundamental in empowering pupils to become competent young artists. Our curriculum allows pupils to develop a comprehensive range of skills and knowledge required to explore, experiment, create and invent their own works of art whilst engaging, inspiring and challenging all pupils including those with SEND and disadvantaged to reach their full artistic potential.

The National Curriculum for Art and Design aims to ensure that all pupils:

• produce creative work, exploring their ideas and recording experiences
• become proficient in drawing, painting, sculpture and other art, craft and design techniques
• evaluate and analyse creative works using the language of art, craft and design
• know about great artists, craft makers and designers as well as understand the historical and cultural development of their art forms.

Developing pupils’ understanding and appreciation of different artists, movements and artwork throughout history and within today’s society, opens up a world of new experiences for pupils allowing them to explore their own and others’ cultural heritage. Developing pupils’ creativity and facilitating opportunities to express their individuality, whilst taking inspiration from the wealth of art around them, is at the heart of our curriculum. It is subsequently through explicit teaching of artistic skills and techniques that pupils are given opportunities to practice, experiment and combine different mediums and material, so that they can become proficient in art and design. Pupils are taught to critically evaluate their work and the work of others, taking influence from well-known artists and adapting their work accordingly to create a final masterpiece.

The skills and knowledge covered within the Mount Charles art and design curriculum resembles the ‘key ingredients’ required for all pupils to succeed in art and design. To achieve these aims throughout each key stage, the ‘key ingredients’ have been carefully mapped out into art and design projects. Each project covers one of three themes: human form, nature and natural materials or landscapes. Furthermore, each project will be taught through one of three mediums…

• Mixed Media- a combination of different mediums such as pencil, pen, charcoal, ink, oil pastel, collage, print or fabric.
• Paint- acrylic, oil, water colour etc.
• Sculpture- clay, papier Mache etc.

These projects have been purposefully linked to the imaginative learning projects, chosen by each year group. This is to ensure that pupils are completely immersed within their topic, whilst also allowing them to draw on their new knowledge and understanding to support their learning in Art and Design.

Each year group follows a whole school ‘art and design leaning process’ whereby each project is broken down into thoughtfully sequenced lessons or ‘steps’ which are subsequently reflected in both planning and teaching. This process consists of four main areas:

• Inspire
• Design
• Create
• Reflect

This process is followed and implemented by each year group throughout the school to provide a consistent approach and a universal language around the teaching and learning of art and design. Through using this approach, in line with the national curriculum aims and objectives, the skills and knowledge covered will gradually progress throughout each year group, enabling pupils to think critically and develop a rigorous understanding of art and design as they progress through the school.

By the time pupils leave Mount Charles, they will have developed a passion for art and design having established a broad range of knowledge and skills in different themes, mediums and techniques. They will have a comprehensive understanding of the history of art and design and gained a breadth of quality experiences whilst being exposed to an array of different art forms. Furthermore, the art and design curriculum at Mount Charles contributes to pupils’ personal development in creativity, independence, judgement and self-reflection. Our dedication to high quality first teaching ensures every pupil including those with SEND and disadvantaged receive a rich, meaningful and stimulating art and design education so that they make the best possible progress and reach their full potential.

Impact

85% of Year 6 pupils achieved at least the expected standard in art and design in 2022.

Subject Leader monitoring has shown:

• Teachers are secure in their subject knowledge.
• Teachers plan lessons which meet the needs of all learners including those with SEND and disadvantaged.
• Pupils of all abilities including those with SEND are able to succeed in art and design lessons.
• Pupils use the three main mediums with growing confidence as they progress through the school.
• Pupils enjoy art and design and are confident artists across a range of concepts and skills.
• Pupils have a sound knowledge of well-known artists and can draw inspiration from them in their work.
• Pupils of all abilities feel success in art and design lessons.
• Pupils talk passionately and with confidence about their learning in art and design.

Impact of art and design at Mount Charles School is carefully tacked and measured by:

• Termly teacher assessments
• Pupil conferencing
• Parent questionnaires
• Termly monitoring of books